Update to community on the future of the Victoria Event Centre
New operators to take over November 1st

Dear VEC Community,

It is with a heavy heart that we announce that after over 20 years in operation, we will no longer be operating the venue at 1415 Broad Street as of Nov 1st, 2024.  A few days ago we received a notice of termination of our lease from our landlord. We recognize that this will come as a shock, and that it is very little notice to our community.  

All upcoming events will proceed as planned until October 26th. Beyond that date we will be processing cancellations, and refunding deposits and ticket purchases.  Please note that we anticipate a very high volume of messages over the coming days, and will be doing our best to respond in a timely manner.  We ask for your graciousness and understanding during this difficult time for our team.

For over two decades, the VEC has been a cornerstone of the local arts community, and we are deeply grateful for the ongoing support from artists, patrons, and community over the years.  With your collaboration we have hosted over 300 events in the past year alone, from emerging local performers to professional tour acts, including live music, burlesque and drag, EDM nights, comedy shows, speaking engagements, workshops, private functions, and much more. It is difficult for us to put into words how much we cherished your involvement and support over these years.  

We know we are not alone in this. Sadly, community-driven arts and cultural spaces are being shut down or priced out in cities across the country. Like many arts venues we have been struggling ro rebound fully post-pandemic.  Thanks in large part to support from the City of Victoria and other partners we’ve had positive signs of getting fully back on track, but we just could not weather a substantial rent increase as the owners were no longer able to partially subsidize the space.

We remain dedicated to serving the local arts communities and will be taking some time to assess how we can best continue in that path.  As an organization, we will be moving our assets into storage and taking the coming months to consider our options, and are hopeful for the possibilities that a new chapter could hold. If you wish to support our space during this transition there will be opportunities to do so, and we also invite you to come and enjoy the venue as much as you are able to this month.

With sincere gratitude,

The VEC Team